(CNN) -- For a preview of the next big thing in video gaming, look no further than the Electronic Entertainment Expo, the splashy industry showcase that kicks off Monday in Los Angeles.

Will it be the oddly named Wii U, Nintendo's attempt to update its aging Wii console for a new wave of gamers? Or "Halo 4," the next chapter in the massively popular sci-fi action series? Or maybe a surprise device or game that comes out of nowhere to captivate attendees?

This year's E3, as the annual trade show is better known, arrives during a time of upheaval for the multibillion-dollar gaming industry, which is scrambling to adapt to changing consumer habits. While home console gaming remains huge, more and more people are playing casual or social games on touchscreen phones and tablets.

"I think we may be seeing the last generation of dedicated handheld gaming systems with the PS Vita and Nintendo 3DS," said Blair Herter, co-host G4TV's "X-Play." "What we've seen is the mobile gaming space really take over what used to be considered the handheld gaming market."

Many analysts, including Herter, think this year's E3 won't have as much bang as previous shows. Herter said he thinks this is because of expectations for next-generation consoles being developed by Sony and Microsoft for release in 2013, and game developers' hesitation to make something that might have a short shelf life.

As an industry-only event, E3 is geared toward gaming media, developers and insiders. But in an effort to reach out to the public, many companies will be streaming events and shows throughout the four days of the conference to give fans early glimpses at new games and let them hear from developers directly.

The E3 show floor doesn't open until Tuesday, although festivities begin Monday with press announcements by Microsoft, Sony and several game developers. Here's a roundup of what to look for:
The Wii U, ready for its closeup

Most companies at E3 will be showing off what their existing hardware can do or emphasizing new video game titles.
Nintendo is the only one of the Big Three console makers -- a trio that includes Microsoft and Sony -- that will be demonstrating a new gaming system this year -- the Wii U. While the Wii U was previewed in more primitive form at last year's E3, there have reportedly been some changes in how the console looks and what it can do.

Official word has been hush hush, which is typical for Nintendo before a big announcement. However, some images and news have leaked out suggesting the touchscreen controller for the Wii U will be different from what was shown last year.

There has been some confusion about whether the Wii U is just a new controller or a more powerful console. Nintendo hopes to clear that up next week by demonstrating a "final" version of the system with games designed specifically for the Wii U. At last year's E3, Nintendo showed a Wii U video demo featuring gameplay from Xbox 360 and PlayStation games.

Pricing remains a mystery for the Wii U, which is expected to go on sale in fall 2012. In April, Nintendo chief executive Satoru Iwata said a price for the new console would not be announced at E3, but that the company would reveal its initial lineup of games. Some industry analysts think Nintendo needs to announce a price at E3 to generate buzz for the console.

Nintendo has released a slew of details about its next-generation console, the Wii U, ahead of this week's Electronic Entertainment Expo. The show, in Los Angeles, will run from Tuesday through Thursday.

Nintendo needs to make a splash at E3 after seeing poor sales for its Nintendo 3DS and the 2006 Wii console, and the company is working hard to tell users that it has something new to offer.

"I believe when you hear from Nintendo this week, there will be several times when you say to yourself, 'Well, that certainly is unique.' And hopefully, you'll be thinking of unique in a good way," said Nintendo president Satoru Iwata in a video release.

The company is taking a big step to fill in the gaps it has in online connectivity, adding a "Miiverse" social network that lets you interact with your friends and other players around the world to connect to each other. You can also use the Wii's camera for video conferencing and use the controller to update your network with text or picture messages. Gamers can also share comments from other players within games , something the company says it hopes will add a sense of "empathy" to the games.

The company is heavily targeting the family market with the new device, which has a touch-screen controller called the Wii U GamePad. The controller can be used to play games on the GamePad even when the television is being used for other things, a selling point for families who may fight for control of the television.

The new controller features two joysticks, an addition from the prototype that the company showed off at last year's game show. Nintendo has also contoured its controller to more easily fit in players' hands. Developers will be able to build in unique functions for the GamePad into their games; for example, you can use the smaller pad as a sight for a shooting game.

The new console will support all other Wii controllers - the Wii Remote, Nunchuck controller and Balance Board. The company is also introducing a "Pro" controller, with a form-factor more similar to the controllers for the Xbox and the Play Station.

All Wii discs also are compatible with the new system. You can also use the GamePad as a television remote.

It wasn't completely clear from the video how much the graphics on the new console have improved, which is a major complaint about the its predecessor. Iwata said in the video that the company has many more announcements to come during the show; Nintendo will make its presentation Tuesday.

LOS ANGELES _ Here's Nintendo's video providing an early peek at the redesigned Wii U and its touchscreen GamePad controller, which now has dual control sticks.

A new button on the pad also turns it into a fully independent TV remote control, plus it works as a browser and messaging console, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata explains in the video.

By releasing the video over the weekend, Nintendo got a jump on Microsoft's Monday press event, but Nintendo's still holding most details of its new console until its event on Tuesday morning.

The video mostly explains the company's thinking behind the new console, which Iwata said is designed to produce more smiles, more laughs and more empathy.

Among the cool demos in the video is a game with throwing stars that are flicked at targets on the TV screen by sliding fingers across the Wii U controller's touchscreen. It shows up about 8 minutes into the video.

At 8:40, a new version of the Wii baseball game is shown, with the motion-sensing control pad used to "catch" a ball by moving it around and centering the ball within a circular reticle representing the glove.

About 26 minutes in, the controller is shown being used as a browser separate from what the console is displaying on the TV. If you find a web site or a photo that you want to share with others in the room, it can be "flicked" to the TV's larger screen.

The Wii U will bring Nintendo up to par with the Xbox and PlayStation in supporting hard-core games, and Nintendo is even offering a new Xbox-style controller called the "Pro" that will be sold separately.

Iwata also gave gamers at E3 and others following the news context to understand what Nintendo was trying to accomplish with the Wii U. In addition to creating a high-def version of the Wii that supports more advanced games and video services, Nintendo had more worldly concerns.

The company wanted to build a device that people would enjoy together, rather than use in isolation like some new technologies that can have people sitting in a circle staring silently at their gadgets, being "alone together."

It accomplishes this both with interactive games and sharing features and the new "Miiverse" social network based on players' Mii avatars. Iwata said the communications via this network will be done mostly through the Wii U controller, which Nintendo considers a "social window." Eventually the system will be accessible through smartphones, PC and tablets - basically any web-enabled device, Iwata said.